As part of the U. S. Naval initiative to control Texas Confederate ports, the gunboats "Clifton" and "Westfield" turned to the town known as Lavaca after quickly taking Galveston and Indianola. On October 31, 1862, Union ships attacked the town, and the city garrison returned the fire and turned away the partially disabled Union boats. Port Lavaca remained in Confederate hands until December 1863.

Working with community historians, Kaser Design (KD) was contracted to interpret the battle and deliver a single interpretive panel as part of a larger display of state historical markers and silhouette art.